Sports News Roundup: Golf-Korda keeping it simple ahead of LPGA record attempt; Adidas names Candace Parker president of women's basketball and more

The longtime WNBA star retired from her playing career last week after 16 years in the league. Basketball-Jokic named NBA MVP for third time Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic won the NBA's Most Valuable Player award for the third time in four seasons, the league announced on Wednesday.

Following is a summary of current sports news briefs.

MLB roundup: Cubs top Padres on Michael Busch's walk-off HR

Michael Busch homered to lead off the ninth inning, lifting the host Chicago Cubs to a walk-off, 3-2 victory over the San Diego Padres on Tuesday. Busch deposited a first-pitch fastball from Enyel De Los Santos (1-2) over the wall in right-center field. The homer was Busch's seventh of the season and first since he went deep in five straight games from April 10-15.

Golf-Korda keeping it simple ahead of LPGA record attempt

American Nelly Korda is keeping it simple as she vies for a record sixth consecutive LPGA win this week at the Cognizant Founders Cup on a tricky course at Upper Montclair Country Club. Korda clinched her second major title and fifth straight win at the Chevron Championship last month, equalling the record held by Nancy Lopez (1978) and Annika Sorenstam (2004–2005) for the most consecutive LPGA victories.

Rudy Gobert named Defensive Player of Year for 4th time

Minnesota Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert was named the NBA's Defensive Player of the Year for the fourth time on Tuesday. Gobert tied Hall of Fame big men Dikembe Mutombo and Ben Wallace for the most times winning the award in league history. He received 72 first-place votes and 433 points from a panel of sportswriters and broadcasters.

Adidas names Candace Parker president of women's basketball

Candace Parker was named Adidas' new president of women's basketball on Wednesday. The longtime WNBA star retired from her playing career last week after 16 years in the league.

Basketball-Jokic named NBA MVP for third time

Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic won the NBA's Most Valuable Player award for the third time in four seasons, the league announced on Wednesday. Jokic beat Oklahoma City Thunder's Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Luka Doncic of the Dallas Mavericks for the honor, receiving 79 first-place votes from a panel of broadcasters and journalists.

Baseball star Ohtani's ex-interpreter agrees to plead guilty to bank fraud

Japanese baseball great Shohei Ohtani's former interpreter has agreed to plead guilty to federal charges he fraudulently wired nearly $17 million stolen from the athlete's bank account to pay off his own gambling debts, court records showed on Wednesday. The plea agreement between federal prosecutors and Ippei Mizuhara, the onetime translator and de facto manager of the Los Angeles Dodgers' power-hitting pitcher, was announced by the U.S. Attorney's Office in L.A., where the case was first brought last month.

Olympics-Flame arrives in Marseille amid tight security

The Olympic flame landed on French soil amid tight security on Wednesday, firing the starting gun on a summer extravaganza of sport that President Emmanuel Macron hopes will showcase the splendours of France and burnish his legacy. The flame arrived in Marseille, a port city in southern France founded by Greek merchants, after a 12-day trip from Greece onboard the Belem, a 128-year-old three-masted tall ship that once transported sugar from France's colonies in the West Indies to the metropole.

Confidence boosted, Rory McIlroy targets fourth win at Wells Fargo

Three-time tournament champion Rory McIlroy headlines a field of just 69 players at this week's Wells Fargo Championship at Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte, N.C. The $20 million signature event is the last tune-up for some of the best players in the world before the PGA Championship next week. McIlroy, the Wells Fargo champion in 2010, 2015 and 2021, is the highest-ranked player in the field (No. 2) and the tournament favorite after he teamed up with Shane Lowry to win the Zurich Classic of New Orleans two weeks ago.

NHLPA announces Ted Lindsay Award finalists

Auston Matthews, Nathan MacKinnon and Nikita Kucherov were named finalists for the Ted Lindsay Award on Wednesday. Voted on by fellow members of the NHL Players' Association, it is presented annually to the most outstanding player in the NHL.

Fever add 11 TV markets for Caitlin Clark's rookie season

Former Iowa standout Caitlin Clark is getting the Indiana Fever some more screen time. Twelve television markets will aid in broadcasting 17 of Indiana's games for free this season, allowing fans to get a better glimpse at Clark, the No. 1 overall pick in this year's WNBA draft.

(With inputs from agencies.)